A new horizon: U23 Men’s Head Coach Zlatko Tomic promises attacking style of play

Box Hill United’s U23 Men’s side could not have asked for a better start. On the road at North Sunshine Eagles, a 5-0 victory set the tone for what we can expect this season.

Set up by a dominant first-half performance netting four goals before the break, it included a brace from attacker Etienne Mendoza who is one of many bright talents in the team coming through the ranks. A penalty save in the second half capped off the five-star performance, with the squad now hungry for more.

Head Coach Zlatko Tomic is in his first season at Box Hill United, overseeing the pre-season just gone and understanding what it takes to get the best out of his players.

Splitting his time between the U15 team, in the last six months alone we have already seen an immediate impact.

After such a brilliant start, for Tomic it is all about maintaining the consistency that will serve as the platform for the U23s to grow into senior players.

“My philosophy is defending from the front, there is no point sitting deep,” he said.

“To have heaps of goals in a game is really enjoyable and it’s what people want to see.

“However, the key to success is discipline – that is essential for teamwork and culture.”

Zlatko Tomic (left) with Scott Tabe-Lewis

Following a strong junior pathway at Pythagoras, the U23s have the opportunity to form the nucleus for future years with the senior squad.

Tomic’s coaching style is clear and transparent, urging his team to continuously improve.

“My job is done on the field and that is how I teach my players,” he said.

“There is no point in chopping and changing, we have a common goal we want to achieve.

“By playing high and defending from the front, my expectation was minimum 3-0 after 30 minutes and we were able to achieve that.

“I want to promote fun and enjoyment – the goals will come but this is only through hard work and discipline and early on we have seen that.”

Up next is Essendon Royals, a side who have scored four goals across their two matches and begun the season undefeated.

We look forward to another pulsating clash at Wembley Park.

Upcoming match details:

What: U23 – VPL 2 Men Round 3

Who: Box Hill United vs Essendon Royals

Where: Wembley Park

When: Saturday March 23, kick-off 3:30pm